Pruning shears



Nov. 15,1927.

1,648,984 o. E. ENELL.

PRUNING SHERS Filed Jan. as. 1927 Otto Ehen Gter: wzq

Patente-d Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STA Es 'PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO E. ENELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIEORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY M. BRUNER,

J'. A. SCHEFEER, AND HAR-RY L. MCCLURE, TRUSTEES. i

PRUNING SHEARS.

Application filed January 28, 1927. Serial No. 164,334.

This invention relates to improvements in 'pruning shears of the type especially adapted for pruning and cutting hedges, shrubbery, treue branches and the like, and the primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a tool of this character wherein a' novel organization of parts is provided permitting of ease and convenience in themanual operation of the tool but at the same time a powerful and effective cutting operation or capacity, this object being obtained primarily through the provision of pivotally mounted blades carried'in connection with pivotally related operating members, the said operating members in turn carrying pivotally mounted levers, which are also pivotally connected with said blades, whereby upon the operation of said members, byfhand pressure of the user, the applied power will be effectively transmitted to the blade to secure powerful and efficient operation thereof with minimum exertion on the part of the user.

`With these and other objects in view, as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the appended claims. l v

In the accompanying drawing: p

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pair of pruning shears formed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken tl'irough the same on the line 2-2' of Figure 1, y Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, l

`Figure 4 is a side elevation of one of the cutting blades.

Referring more particularly to the draw-V ings, the numeral 1 designates a ypair .of pruning shears formed in accordance' with the features of the present invention. As preferably constructed these shears are formed to include a pair of operating members 2 which are formed from stamped sheet metal and in transverse crosssection of substantially U form, The members occupy y the edge 7 of the blade 5.

normally relatively angular positions and at their point of intersection are pivotally connected by means of the stud or rivet 3, about the axis of which said members are adapted t0 oscillate. Arranged in the walls of said members is a stiff U shaped wire spring t, which presses outwardly upon said members to maintain the latter normally in a separated state.

y Also pivotally mounted in connection with the stud 3 is a pair of blades, indicated by the numerals 5 and 6.l The blade 5 in Athis instance is provided with a curved, sharp inner cutting edge, indicated by the numeral 7, while the complemental edge portion 8 of the opposite blade 6 is notched or otherwise roughened so as to provide a multiplicity of recesses, in which the twigs, branches of the shrubbery or the like being cut are adapted Cir kto be received and held momentarily so as to secure a better cutting action on the part of The blades intermediate of their length are pivotally connected as at 9 with the outer ends of the actuating extremities 10 formed upon the upper end of the members 2, the exterminus 'iw end being formed upon but one side of each of said members, you notice that saideX- vtremities may be positioned more closely adjacent to the particular.. blades with which they are pivotally connected. if The lower ends of the blades 5 and 6 are walls formed at the point of intersection of lsaid members, and include relatively offset ears 11, which are apertured to receive pins 12 employed in pivotally connecting said ears with the vupper ends of a pair of crossed lever elements 13. These elements have their lower ends pivotally connected as at lit to the corresponding ends of the operatinghandles or members 2 and in general the said elements are located in the pockets provided bythe U form of the members 2, in'orderv that the lever elements will be out of the way and will not interfere with the grip of ythe operator.. The lever element-s cross Vone anotheras indicated at 15, immediately be- ].QW the point of intersection ofthe members 2, but in the case of the lever elements no direct pivotal connection is provided at their points ot' intersection, the said elements merely moving past each other without interference.`

In view of the 'foregoing it will be seen that by gripping the operating members and exerting hand pressure thereon, the said members will be rocked upon their common pivotal axis 3 against the resistance oiilered by the spring el., so as to effect relative approach between the con'iplemental edges ol the blade. In addition to this movement a shearing motion is imparted to the blade by the inclusion of t-he lever elements i3 which, by reason of their pivotal connection with the actuating members 2 and the lower ends of the blades, produce an additional rocking action of said blades about the stud 3, and this movement is augmented by providing cach oi. the blades with elongated slots 16 for the reception of the shank of the stud 3, whereby a wiping or shearing action is imparted to said blades while the latter are travelling in unison with the actuating extremities l() of the operating members. This compound motion produces a quick, easily executed clean cutting movement which is very effective in tools of this character, and renders the same very easy and convenient tooperate. Upon release ot the actuating members the latter return to normal positions automatically by the action ot the spring 4. The construction, it will be observed, is very substantial and durable and is very well proportioned and balanced. Ot course, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the construction as herein specifically' set forth and described without departing fromV the fundamental spirit or principle of the invention. For eX- ample, the operating handles or members 2 may be ot any desired length or equipped with extensions so that the tool may be adapted 'for various purposes without changing in any way the operating principles above set forth. In the above description the terms upper and lower have been used merely iior the sake of convenience and accuracy in description and because of the position which the tool has been shown as occupying in Figure l of the drawing. Therefore, the terms upper and lower have not been used in a limiting sense.

Vhat is claimed is:

l. A tool of the character set Jforth, coinprising a pair oit operating members pivotally connected at their points of intersection,

spring means tending to maintain said oper-V ating members separated, a pair ot blades pivotally connected at positions intermediate the length thereof to the upper ends ci? said operating members, and a pair fot crossed links pivotally mounted in connection with the lower portion of said operating Lei-enea members, said links having the upper ends thereot' crossed and pivotally connected with the lower ends of said blades.

2. A tool of the character set forth,.comprising a pair of operating members pivotally connected at an intersecting position, spring means tending to maintain said operating members separated, a pair of blades pivotally connected `with said operating members at their points of intersection and alsovat additional points intermediate of the length oli said blades, and a pair ot' lever elements pivotally connected with said operating members and with the inner or lower ends ot said blades.

3. A tool of the character set forth, comprising a pair of angularly disposed operating members pivotally connected at their points ot' intersection, spring means tending to maintain said handle members separated, a pair of blades pivotally connected with said operating members at the point of intersection of the latter and also additionally pivotally connected Vwith said operating members at the extreme upper ends of the` latter and at points intermediate of the length oli said blades, each of said blades having an elongated slot formed therein to receive the shank oit' the pivotal connection uniting the intersecting porti-ons ot said operating members, and a pair of crossed links having the lower ends thereof pivoted to said operating members and the upper ends thereof` pivoted to the eXtreme lower end oi said blades.

4L. A tool of the character set forth, comprising a pair ot crossed operating` inem- Ders pivotally united at their point ot intersection, a pair of blades pivotally connected with said operating membersat the points ol' intersection of the latter, there be!Y ing additional pivotal connections between the extreme upper ends of said operating members and the intermediate portion of said blade, and a pair ot crossed leveryelements having the lower ends thereof .pivotally connected ,with said operatingin'iembers and the upper ends thereof pivotally connected with the cxtreme lower Vendsoitl said blades.

5. A tool oi the chara'cter'set forth, comprising a pair o't operating members pivoted for relative inovement'about a common axis, said members being provided with projecting` extremities above said axis, a pair of blades pivoted to said operating mmnbeis for turning movement about said axis, pivotal connections between the outer ends of said actuating extremities and the intermediate portions ot said blades, and a pair of lever elements pivotallyV connected. atV their lower ends'to said operatingmembers and pivotally connected at their upper ends to thelower portion of said blades.

6, A. tool of the character set forth, coinmounted substantially within the confines of lo said Uvshaped operating members and having the lower ends thereof pivotally connected with said operating members and the upper ends' thereof pivotally connected with the lower portions of said blades.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

oTTo ENELL. 

